The Cutting Edge
Dogs Aren’t That Different from People
Stephen Huneck celebrates
the human-animal bond
By Katie Marsico
Stephen Huneck is truly a jack-of-all-trades. An artist,
children’s author, craftsman, and animal lover, Huneck began his career in
woodcarving in 1984. Since then, he has gained acclaim for his woodcut prints, furniture,
and children’s books—all of which feature dogs. Huneck also has five galleries
in four different states.
But Huneck’s road to success has not been without its hurdles. In
1994, he suffered from Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome and fell into a coma
for two months. During this time, Huneck had a near-death experience that left
doctors pessimistic about his chances for survival. To their astonishment,
however, he recovered and patiently relearned basic motor skills with the help
of his wife, Gwen.
Huneck’s brush with death left him with a renewed sense of
inspiration, and it was not long after that he came up with the idea for Dog
Chapel, “a place where people can go and celebrate the spiritual bond they have
with their dogs.” Dog Chapel is on
This location is also the site of the annual Stephen Huneck Dog Party, a summer
festivity that features food, music, and art for both people and their canine
companions. The event is simply a further reflection of Huneck’s philosophy
that dogs, like people, have individual and unique personalities. We chatted
with Huneck about his art, the human-animal bond, and his personal relationship
with dogs.
Tails: What made you decide to use dogs as the focal point
of your art?
Stephen Huneck: I
grew up in a house with seven kids and we couldn’t afford to have a dog, but I
couldn’t wait until the day when I could get one. As a paperboy, I always had
dogs chasing after me. I even got nipped a few times, but that didn’t stop me.
Dogs have always been something that I’ve felt passionately about.
Tails: What about woodcarving? Why is that your favorite art form?
SH: I’m generally a revved-up
person, and carving really calms me down. I love the resistance of the wood,
the texture of it. Texture is so important, and you don’t always see people
focusing on it in an age where everything has standardized parts and is
manufactured.
Tails: How did your brush with death impact your art?
SH: It was really an incredibly
positive thing for me. It almost made me like a child again—I was totally open
to telling new stories and trying out new ideas. And of course, it was shortly
after my near-death experience that I came up with the idea for Dog Chapel.
Tails: What do you think makes a visit to Dog Chapel so fulfilling?
SH: It’s truly amazing. There are stained-glass windows that depict dog scenes, and American Indian flute music playing in the background. We even have a foyer where people who visit can leave messages and pictures of their dogs. I’ve received inspiration to accomplish certain things in life, and that figures into a bigger equation. You have to give to get. I hope Dog Chapel inspires both people and dogs.
Tails: And
just as you invite dogs to visit the chapel, you also allow them in your
galleries across the country?
SH: I
encourage them to visit. Dogs are very sociable animals, and they’re not that
different from us. Their minds are working every minute, and they dream just
like we do. They truly study the art in the galleries. Sometimes you can tell
they actually mistake one of the carvings for a real dog. The absolute test is
when they go up to a dog carving and try to sniff the rear end!
Tails: That philosophy
of dogs and people enjoying and finding fulfillment in the same experiences
seems to apply to Dog Party [the annual gala at Dog Chapel], as well.
SH: It
does. Dog Party has been going on for 11 years now and is simply about being sociable
and having a good time. The dogs know it’s for them, so there’s no fighting or
excessive barking.
Tails: How
many pets do you currently have?
SH: Right
now, we have three—Artie, a Black Labrador; Molly, a Golden
Retriever;
and Sally Two, another Black
Tails: Sally
One was the inspiration behind some of your children’s books, right?
SH: Yes.
My first Sally was a former seeing-eye dog who was fired because she was having
accidents on the floor. A veterinarian friend of mine called and said he “had
the dog for us.” He was right.
Sally
had a complete personality of her own. She was independent and strong-willed.
You’d call her, and she’d deliberately walk the other way. We had her for eight
years before she died of a brain aneurism. Sally Two is young, but she shares a
lot of her predecessor’s personality traits.
Tails: It
sounds like you’ve come a long way from when you started out. Did you ever
envision yourself where you are now?
SH: Never. When I left home at 17, I had 32
cents in my pocket and was hitchhiking to
Visit
Dog Chapel and Stephen Huneck’s Gallery in St. Johnsbury at:
For
details on Huneck’s other galleries or for online ordering information,
visit
www.Huneck.com.
